What’s rescue wine? California winemaker Jessica Gao reached out looking for help with a project she'd been developing. While working at vineyards in the Napa Valley, she noticed that a lot of organic, high-end "juice" was being discarded. Jes crafted a super smart way to save that wine (sustainable!), and make it exceptionally delicious all while being infused with a very specific personality. Mel worked with Jes to pinpoint that “cheeky chic”, and that became Garage Gal's visual identity.

The idea for the illustration was born from Jessica’s description of making the first batch of the Rosé, in her garage. Mel was thinking about those moments when you look down and sometimes find rainbows in the oil that’s been left on the concrete. To develop that texture, Japanese sumi ink was diluted in water and Mel began to play on the paper. The vines that these grapes were rescued from had a lot of their own particular flavor. Mel thought it would be fun to make these grapes expressive, not just through texture but through more visceral facial expressions. Custom drawn typography acts as both name and wordmark.

The Garage Gal branding has been used not just for the wine labels, but also the brand’s website and ad campaigns, including a sponsorship of the Mill Valley Film Festival and 4N Magazine.

Client: Jessica Gao / Art Direction, Illustration, and Design: Mel Barat Bours